It's Springtime Again For Members of GWSAE

After a long, hard winter, many association executives are reportedly looking forward to Springtime, the annual gathering of members of the Greater Washington Society of Assn. Executives.

The one-day conference and tradeshow, expected to draw 4,500 attendees and 830 exhibiting companies, is scheduled for May 13 at the Washington (D.C.) Convention Center. "We consider Springtime the annual reunion of the association professional," said GWSAE CEO Susan Sarfati. "It's always a magical day of business connections and meaningful networking."

And in case anyone is wondering: Springtime will continue to be held, regardless of wheth-er GWSAE and its 5-year-old education arm, the Center for Assn. Leadership, merge as planned with the American Society of Assn. Executives and the ASAE Foundation.

Sarfati said she expects the merger to be a topic of discussion at the gathering. But because the four boards are scheduled to vote on the merger May 25 – only two weeks after Springtime – no big announcements about it are expected.

Under the merger – termed a "consolidation" when it was announced in January – both GWSAE and ASAE would continue to hold their annual events. "The tradeshows are very well-received," Sarfati said.

Plans call for the groups' activities to become functions of the ASAE and the center. Each will have its own board, with some members sitting on both. A single staff will likely work out of GWSAE's offices in Washington, D.C.

Sarfati said she doesn't want the merger to detract from Springtime, which she said has added features since relocating to the new D.C. convention center last year.